A Templar for Christmas
by Igrayne01
Summary: One-Shot. This is a story I completed as part of a Secret Santa gift fic exchange for my good friend, TheTemplarsWetDream. It features her elven mage character, Kaela, and one of the Templar knights, Cullen.


**Disclaimer: This is a story I completed as part of a Secret Santa gift fic exchange for my good friend, TheTemplarsWetDream. It features her elven mage character, Kaela, and one of the Templar knights, Cullen.**

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**The circle tower was unusually quiet for a Thursday—that thought entered the petite elven woman's mind as she roamed the halls in search of Irving, her mind still running rampant with thoughts of her Harrowing. In between dreams and waking visions, she had found herself within the Fade, and now—being in the stone cold halls of the circle tower—she wasn't quite sure if she was still, in fact, dreaming.

As she padded along the empty corridor, the braziers lighting her path toward the First Enchanter's study, her mind was filled with many discordant thoughts—thoughts of Mouse, of the sloth demon, of the death she had almost suffered in the midst of her trials. And then her mind pieced together the image of the face she knew was always standing beside her, watching over her, sword poised and ready should she fail to complete her task. Even completely immersed in the alternate reality as she had been, she was still able to feel the cool sting of the metal a mere breadth away from the tender, exposed skin of her neck. His hot breath had descended like a vapor over her, betraying his anxiety at the prospect of having to actually commit the murder.

She wasn't reading too much into things, was she?

There had been hesitation on his face when she first entered the chamber, and he had been unable to meet her gaze when she sought to initiate eye contact. The embarrassed, tow-headed young man was always bumbling like a fool whenever she was in close proximity. She had only to guess as to the reason for his discomfort. Her "knife ears" (as the Templars had so callously dubbed them) were perfect for eavesdropping, so whenever some of the younger girl mages whispered of Cullen's affection for her, she was quick to pick up traces of their conversation.

Though the two had no cause to speak alone very often, she had actively sought him out at mealtimes, when he was ensconced in discussions with his Templar buddies and was unable to talk very frankly with her. Of course, her presence always drew the occasional taunt or two—but not from him. Never from him. He had always shown her unparalleled kindness in even the briefest of gazes.

So it was she found herself seeking him out at his usual post. He stood guard in one of the tower hallways, his embossed Templar armor defining and exaggerating the raw musculature of his strong, well-formed body. His short, military-style haircut, faint mole, and cropped beard gave him away almost instantly.

Without preamble, Kaela hopped up before him and opened her hands as though to say "tah-dah!" Slicking her sleek black hair back with one hand, she said, "Well, say something, Cullen. You look as though you've never seen a Dalish before with the way you're staring at me!"

The man looked uncomfortably pained, his mouth bowed out in a sheepish little half-grin that was somewhere between a smirk and a scowl.

"Oh, uh… h-hello… I, uh, am glad to see you are doing so well, all things considered."

"All things considered?"

Her green eyes narrowed inquisitively. Shifting slightly in his boots to get a more comfortable stance, Cullen continued, undeterred.

"Your Harrowing. It was most admirable how quickly you completed it. I've not seen an initiate accomplish that in, w-well… in forever."

"I'm just that good, you know," Kaela teased, puffing her chest out. She noticed Cullen's eyes briefly glimpse downward as she did so, widening slightly in alarm and—what was that?—possibly desire.

_Oh, so the stuttering little Templar isn't quite as asexual as he's made himself out to be after all… Hmmm, must store this information away in my information bank somewhere for future use…_

"So, y'think I'd get in trouble for doing this?"

Waving both hands in the air, she summoned a giant smoldering fire ball, but before she could send it colliding into one of the temple's crumbling stone walls, Cullen's hand was on the hilt of his sword. Laughing, she dropped her hands and used them to cover her mouth.

"I-I wouldn't do that… What if the Knight-Commander…" Cullen began.

"Bah, he's just an old fuddy duddy," Kaela said with a capricious wave of the hand. "What about you? What will you do?"

"I-I suppose I will just… will just…"

As he was speaking, she didn't notice how closely he had drifted or the fact that his lips were only inches from hers until they had nearly melted into one another. She could smell Cullen's sweet breath—a faint hint of cinnamon mixed in with an overpowering musk—as it passed in and out of the nostrils, casting a seductive spell over her. Her smart-mouthed comeback momentarily forgotten, Kaela leaned in, closed her eyes, and then…

"I-I can't!" Cullen stuttered, drawing sharply backward so that his armor struck the wall with a resounding metallic clang.

"You're right," Kaela replied, releasing a sigh. "I shouldn't distract you from your duties, tempting though it may be. You've got a tower to watch over, apprentices to torment, swords to brandish. Am I right?"

"N-no, nothing as important as all that," he said feebly. "And you're not distracting. I mean, you are, but… well, you're not. I mean, you can talk to me anytime you want, you know that?"

Biting her lip until the flesh colored white, Kaela said, "Just what every girl wants to hear after being shut down. I'm glad I know where to go for the pep talks, so thanks."'

Just as she was about to leave, Cullen whispered—his voice scarcely audible—the following words: "No, wait! M-maybe we can talk some more. If you are all right with that."

Arching a seductively slim brow, Kaela put both hands on her hips and strode toward him. "Do you want to go elsewhere and… continue our discussion?"

The Templar's brow knotted in genuine confusion, and at that moment all the elven woman wanted was to weave a trail of kisses from the tip of his hairline down the bridge of his nose and to his waiting lips. He was so hopelessly, cluelessly, adorably enamored with her, and the fact she was aware of it put her in a position of power. She would enjoy using this to her advantage.

"Elsewhere? W-what do you mean?"

"Oh, don't play innocent with me, Cullen. I've seen the way you look at me…"

Recognition dawned, and as the fog lifted, Cullen's face was aghast with what she could only presume was shock and disbelief.

"Oh, my goodness. If you're saying… what I think… that would be r-really… inappropriate and… I couldn't. I should go."

Before she could get a word in edgewise, the Templar fled the scene like a wounded puppy, armor clattering in his wake. As she watched his hulking form disappear into the shadows of the tower, she silently cursed her rotten luck.

_Was I too forward or something?_ she wondered to herself.

After wandering the halls for several moments more—weaving into and out of the vast libraries to flip through the pages of a few scattered tomes without really paying any attention to what she was reading—Kaela became bored. It was nearing bedtime, and although the torches remained ablaze for well into the early morning to allow for study time, she wasn't feeling particularly productive. Instead, her mind was consumed with the one fleeting discussion she'd had with Cullen and how he'd run from her at even the first suggestion of intimacy.

In the Dalish tribes, intimacy was encouraged between two clan members; if not for the sole purpose of procreation, then at least to express love and affection for one another. She remembered how openly her Keeper spoke of such bonds, and how she had been raised to view them with fondness instead of contempt and fear, as these humans—and particularly these Templars—had been taught. The difference between the attitudes was so vast that there were all kinds of opportunities for misunderstandings when one of another race initiated such relations. Such was the position she now found herself in, much to her chagrin.

Still, determined as ever, Kaela tromped downstairs toward the level of the tower that held the Templar quarters. As she passed by the open doors, glimpsing inside to see half-naked recruits in various stages of dress, brushing their teeth and washing their faces at a communal sink in preparation for sleep, her heart thundered in her chest. Her eyes scanned the sea of faces until they landed on the one closed door at the end of the hall.

_Of course…_ Reason only dictated that Cullen would remain modest at all times, even if it meant shunning his fellow Templars for a bit of privacy. She pressed one pointed ear up to the door, leaning against the splintered wood to have a listen.

"Well, look what we have here…"

The startling male voice was an unwelcome surprise. She recognized it as belonging to one of the men charged with watching over her Harrowing, and as their eyes met with steeliness, she suddenly got the feeling she should not be down here, alone, unprotected.

"What're you doing here, knife ears? Got lost on your way to the pot?" he asked, walking lazy circles about her as his friends walked up to reinforce him.

Backing away slowly, Kaela spat, "Why don't you make like a nice little Templar and get the hell out of here before I hurt you?"

"Is that a threat, elf?" he barked.

"Boy, you sure are a sharp one. Mom and Dad must've really been proud, huh?" she sassed, widening her vibrant green eyes a bit.

"You boys hear what this elf is saying to me?"

"Believe me, hurt feelings are gonna be the least of your problems once I'm through with you. I do believe a righteous ass-kicking is in store."

Kicking off her boots in preparation to administer said ass-kicking, Kaela dropped into a defensive stance. Almost immediately, hands grabbed her from behind, pinioning her in place so she was unable to move. She fought against her captor, biting, scratching, and pulling at every bit of skin she could get her hands on.

"Just hurry up already!" her captor urged, clearly agitated with the amount of rebellion his charge was putting up.

"I'm going to enjoy doing this," the first man said, grinning wolfishly as he moved in on her, his hands reaching out toward her.

"S-stop!"

It was barely spoken above a whisper, but it was said with enough force that all the Templars took notice and stopped what they were doing. Cullen stood in the lit archway of his chambers, the toned muscles of his body just visible underneath the thin sleep shift he now wore. It was slightly translucent, leaving not very much to the imagination. Kaela couldn't help but ogle him, her jaw slackening slightly at the illuminated vision before her. He seemed to have abandoned all modesty at the moment, his attention instead focused on the squirming elven woman.

"Let her go!"

"Go back to bed, Cullen, we're just having a little bit of fun. You won't even hear us, I promise."

"No. Unhand her now."

The templar's dark, thick brows sunk over his icy eyes.

"Or what? You'll make me?"

"Y-yes. I will. I will make you!"

The Templars all looked at each other, laughing.

"You and what army?"

"N-no army is needed. I will simply inform Greagoir what you're up to. So the choice is yours."

The man paused while he contemplated his options. The logical choice seemed to give up, turn tail, and run, which was what the others did in haste. The Templar, seeing his fellows flee with all expediency, unhanded Kaela, shoving her toward the blonde young man. She landed in his open arms and almost fell, but her hands curled about his broad shoulders to prevent herself from colliding with the ground.

"Didn't know _you_ of all people fancied knife-ears, Cullen. Fine, take her. See if I care. Just don't bruise her too badly or Greagoir will have your head, like you said."

Laughter ringing behind them, the Templars made their retreat into one of the wide open rooms. The door slammed shut with a resounding thud, leaving Kaela alone and in the wide open arms of Cullen.

"Oh, my goodness… a-are you all right? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'd like to see them try," she huffed, pushing her weight up on him until she was staring, level, into his calm sea-blue eyes.

"You know, you really should try harder not to provoke them. I shudder to think what would have happened had I not been there at the opportune moment."

"Yes," Kaela said softly, looking up into his eyes. "Thank you for rescuing me. And in a towel no less!"

"Oh!" Cullen said with a blush, grabbing for a nearby bed sheet to wrap around himself. "It's not a towel… it's a night shift."

"Looks like a towel to me."

"I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean to be so immodest but, you see, I wasn't expecting company…" He narrowed his eyes at her. "Which brings me to my next question: exactly what were you doing down here in the Templar quarters? Aren't they off-limits to apprentices?"

"I… uh… I…"

How was she supposed to answer that one?

"Now look who's stuttering," he said, silently teasing.

She felt euphoric in his presence, even more so that she was this close to her and he was still holding her, despite his hands still clutching at the bed sheet. His scent filled her olfactory senses, and she breathed him in fully, reveling in the close proximity. How long had it last been since she had been held, really properly held, in the arms of a handsome man such as he? Too long…

Sensing that there was something electric between them in that moment, Cullen leaned forward as though magnetized, his lips seeking their target. As they kissed chastely for one brief moment, every nerve ending on Kaela's body set on fire. She tightened her grip on his shoulders, her fingers digging into his flesh, until Cullen pulled away, breaking the kiss. He looked conflicted at having done so.

"I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have done that…"

Before he would say more, Kaela had recaptured his lips with passionate fervor, her tongue pleading entry to the velvety recesses of his mouth.

"But you did, so you'd better finish it…"

"I-I… y-yes, of course."

As Cullen melted into her kiss, he picked her up in his strong arms, the bed sheet falling from his grasp, and walked with her in his arms toward the door to latch it shut. Kaela wrapped both her legs around him and squeezed tightly.

"What took you so long?" she whispered breathlessly.

With a smile, Cullen headed with her petite form for the bed. As soon as he had released her, her hands were on his night shift, lifting the thin material up so she could use her tongue to trace every contour on his chiseled abdomen. Cullen released a sigh, his eyes shut tightly, and his hand tangled in her hair, grabbing a fistful of it. She discarded the thin robe with ease, her hands finding their way to the prize at the end of the maze.

"I wanted everything to be perfect," he assured her through breathy sighs. "I-I couldn't risk messing things up with you…"

She raised her hands above her head so he could free her of her garments in two successive motions.

"And? Is it messed up now?"

"Completely. B-but I wouldn't have it any other way…"

Smiling, she kissed him again, their limbs entwining to begin their long dance toward ecstasy.


End file.
